The U.S. House of Representatives on Dec. 9 passed the Protecting Our Democracy Act, a package of reforms that aims to strengthen America’s democratic institutions against future presidents who could seek to abuse the power of their office.

The proposals would restore the federal government’s system of checks and balances, strengthen accountability and transparency and protect America’s elections from foreign interference.

“Today, the House delivered a simple, unequivocal message – our democracy is worth fighting for,” U.S. Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Burbank) said. “We will not allow the abuses that defined the previous administration to become our norms, nor will we will allow a future autocratic president, Democrat or Republican, to exploit weaknesses in our democratic institutions.”

The bill would require the Department of Justice to provide materials to Congress concerning any self-serving presidential pardon or commutation in cases involving the president or his or her relatives, suspend the statute of limitations for any federal offense committed by a sitting president or vice president and prohibit federal officials from accepting foreign emoluments without Congress’s consent.

For information,  visit schiff.house.gov.